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Chapter 6
The very next day, as soon as the missing persons report for the Duke and Duchess of Mertiel was submitted under the name Inerea Mertiel, the Imperial Palace dispatched investigators.
Since I had already informed the Imperial family in advance, everything moved with astonishing speed.
With Kischel at my side to act as my hands and feet, and with my first goal for survival finally set…
There was no reason to delay any longer.
“They’ll be arriving through the teleportation gate shortly. Kischel, gather everyone in the ducal estate and have them prepare.”
“As you wish.”
While Kischel and I were taking a walk through the rear garden, word arrived that the Imperial Knights would soon be visiting to conduct their investigation.
I had been enjoying a rare moment of peace.
It was a shame to end it so soon.
After lunch, I wandered around the training grounds for a while before checking the time and changing into clothes suitable for receiving distinguished guests.
“I’ll choose your outfit today. It’s been a while.”
Kischel brought me a black dress that matched the color of my hair, along with a white shawl.
Together, they struck the perfect balance between elegance and authority.
It deserved applause.
Every chandelier throughout the ducal mansion was lit.
Seeing the rows of butlers and maids standing neatly in the central hall reminded me of the days when Father returned from his travels.
Whenever the servants lined up like this…
I always hid away in my room.
Now…
Those were merely memories from another life.
The teleportation gate opened before long.
Knights clad in brilliant golden armor marched into the ducal estate in perfect formation.
“For a missing persons investigation…”
“This is a little excessive.”
“The master of the house is gone.”
“They don’t have to worry about offending anyone.”
I instructed the servants to escort them into the reception room.
Thinking about it…
The whole situation was rather strange.
“I’m not allowed to become the head of the family because I’m a woman…”
“But I am allowed to serve as acting head?”
It was less strange…
And more laughably contradictory.
Several knights entered the reception room.
The moment I saw the man at the front—
My breath nearly stopped.
“…”
The knight surveyed the mansion before his gaze landed on me.
For some reason, his eyes widened ever so slightly.
Then he approached.
“…I am Pablo Herka of the First Imperial Knight Order.”
“It is an honor to meet Lady Mertiel.”
After a brief silence, he slowly extended his hand.
My mouth had gone dry.
It was him.
The very man who had relentlessly hunted me through the mountains in my previous life…
Desperate to capture me.
Calm down.
Calm down.
I had expected something like this from the moment I prepared to face the Imperial Knights.
Slowly…
I placed my hand in his.
Pablo bowed and pressed a respectful kiss against the back of it.
It was a flawless greeting fit for a noble lady.
But all I could manage was a bitter smile.
The righteous Imperial Knight who had once hunted evil…
And the traitor with a bounty on her head…
Now stood face to face once more.
As knight…
And lady.
We exchanged the usual meaningless conversation regarding the Duke’s disappearance.
After some time, the knights who had inspected Father’s room returned.
“There are no unusual traces.”
Pablo gave a small nod.
Watching from across the room, I saw him gesture toward the knights behind him.
“Bring out the letter.”
One of the knights reached into his coat and produced a sealed envelope.
The Imperial crest was stamped prominently onto pristine white paper.
“A letter addressed to me.”
“That’s correct.”
“His Majesty personally wrote it for you.”
“You must open it yourself.”
Every gaze in the room followed me as I reached for the envelope.
Using a paper knife, I carefully broke the wax seal.
I unfolded the letter…
And slowly read every line.
None of the knights knew what was written inside.
Their eyes darted back and forth as they swallowed nervously.
“…”
Even from here…
I could hear them gulp.
Every single one of them waited for me to speak.
“His Majesty…”
I smiled as though it were nothing before folding the letter and slipping it inside my sleeve.
“…has invited me to the Imperial Palace.”
In truth…
It was far from insignificant.
But I did my best not to show it.
An invitation.
I had expected to be summoned for questioning regarding Father’s disappearance.
This…
Was completely different.
Judging by the contents of the letter…
The Emperor intended to receive me as an honored guest.
There was a world of difference between being summoned because of an investigation…
And being invited as a distinguished visitor.
“It’ll be my first time visiting the capital.”
“I’m looking forward to it.”
I deliberately spoke in a lighthearted tone to ease the stiff atmosphere.
Only then did the knights finally relax.
With so many heavily armored men gathered together…
The spacious reception room suddenly felt much smaller.
My mind raced.
“I’m grateful that His Majesty is willing to accommodate my schedule.”
“If possible…”
“We would like to escort you to the capital ourselves.”
“When would be convenient for you, my lady?”
That was a good question.
“When should I go?”
“I’ll leave in ten days.”
“You may return ahead of me.”
I deliberately gave a specific date.
Part of the reason…
Was simply that I didn’t want to travel with the man standing before me.
Naturally…
I kept that to myself.
“As you know, things are rather chaotic at the moment.”
“I have quite a few matters that need my attention.”
Maintaining my smile, I met Pablo’s eyes.
The instant our gazes locked—
His shoulders twitched.
Then he quickly looked away.
…What’s with him?
It wasn’t as though he remembered our previous life.
So why was he reacting so strangely?
“If I were you…”
“I’d have chosen death.”
“Living on like a cockroach just to survive…”
“Wouldn’t it be better to preserve your dignity as a noble and die with honor?”
Those words…
The ones he had spoken when he cornered me during my years as a fugitive…
Suddenly resurfaced in my mind.
A noble’s dignity?
The greatest mistake he had ever made…
Was saying those words to me.
Perhaps…
Those words were exactly why I had managed to survive for more than three years.
Whether it meant living with dignity…
Or crawling through the mud like an insect…
His contempt had filled me with one overwhelming desire.
I’ll survive.
Just to spite you.
Of course…
In the end…
I had still died alone.
Right before his eyes.
“I’ll see you in the capital.”
I offered Pablo a courteous smile.
It was the least amount of politeness I was willing to show him.
✦ ✦ ✦
Ten days…
Could feel both incredibly short…
And endlessly long.
Between packing for the journey and handling countless affairs around the estate…
Time slipped away.
Before I knew it…
The morning of our departure had arrived.
“The estate’s defenses have been reinforced, right?”
“The knights and servants are all prepared?”
“Don’t worry.”
“You know how capable I am.”
Since this would be my first official outing…
I found myself unusually tense.
To be honest…
I’d much rather leave behind those bothersome knights and servants.
But for now…
There was no helping it.
“I had the finest carriage prepared.”
“What do you think?”
“Do you like it?”
“This is my first time riding in one.”
Well…
I had hidden inside cargo wagons while fleeing in my previous life.
But that hardly counted.
“Maybe we should’ve just opened a teleportation gate instead.”
“The Mage Tower exists for exactly that purpose.”
Kischel muttered to himself while eyeing the long line of horses and carriages with obvious dissatisfaction.
I bumped my shoulder against his.
Well…
Judging by our height difference, it was probably somewhere around his arm.
“It’s fine.”
“I’ve always wanted to ride in a carriage at least once.”
“This works out perfectly.”
When I was young…
The Imperial Capital had always been the place I dreamed of visiting once I finally left this estate.
The city with its golden fountain…
Its magnificent cathedral…
Its grand museum…
Where beautiful buildings lined perfectly paved streets…
And people from every corner of the Empire gathered.
Of course…
After becoming a fugitive in my previous life…
It had become the one place I avoided above all else.
“I heard there’s a shop in the capital that makes Mont Blanc so delicious…”
“They even supply it to the Imperial Palace.”
“Where did you hear that?”
“In one of those cheap magazines that cost two copper coins.”
I’d started reading them recently after asking Kischel to bring me some.
Before I knew it…
They had become the perfect way to pass the time.
“We’re definitely trying it.”
“Of course.”
“Excessively sweet desserts are torture for me…”
“But if my lady wishes it, I have no choice.”
Even though he said that…
He always joined me during dessert time anyway.
We climbed into the carriage.
“Oh, right.”
“I’ve got one piece of good news…”
“And one piece of bad news.”
“Go ahead.”
“The good news is…”
“We won’t get lost on our way to the capital.”
“Great news, isn’t it?”
“…Was that even possible?”
The main roads had recently been rebuilt.
Even the knights who traveled to the capital regularly had been struggling to memorize the new routes.
“It used to be impossible.”
“But now it’s not.”
“And the reason it’s possible…”
“Is also the bad news.”
Holding firmly around my waist, Kischel effortlessly lifted me into the tall carriage before finishing his sentence.
“The Imperial Palace is sending one of their knights…”
“To act as our guide.”
